


More Than Beauty

by idrilhadhafang



Category: Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Angst, Bullying By A Third Party, Canon Compliant, Characters Of Color The Fandom Hates, Dedicated To Every Asshole Who’s Portrayed Poe As Just A Lech, Devoted Darkpilot, Established Relationship, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Past Manipulation Of A Child, Pilot Poe Dameron, Poe Dameron Needs A Hug, Pre-Star Wars: The Force Awakens, Protective Ben Solo, Racism By A Third Party, Seriously Fuck That Shit, Soft Ben Solo, Spitefic, Why I Love Poe Dameron, but also a bit scary
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-24
Updated: 2020-05-24
Packaged: 2021-03-03 00:27:14
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 679
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24355801
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/idrilhadhafang/pseuds/idrilhadhafang
Summary: It isn’t how Poe looks, but how he is.
Relationships: Poe Dameron/Ben Solo, Poe Dameron/Ben Solo | Kylo Ren
Kudos: 6
Collections: Gen Prompt Bingo Round 18





	More Than Beauty

**Author's Note:**

> Prompt: Wild Card — Beauty
> 
> Disclaimer: I own nothing. 
> 
> Warnings: Racist remarks by a third party, bullying, victim-blaming, past manipulation of a child.

  
“I wish I had a different face,” Poe lamented over one of their comm calls.   
  
“Don’t say that,” Ben said. “You’re perfect.”  
  
“You’re not the one who got accused of...hooking up a power coupling with the Academy’s principal to get ahead. Using his looks to do it — even though I couldn’t seduce my way out of a wet paper bag.” A beat. “It’s just people being idiots, I shouldn’t let it get to me, but...I try so hard and people don’t believe I want to be better than I was. I just can’t win.” A beat. “And I shouldn’t be whining.”  
  
“Oh, really?” Ben said. They talked about seeing red, and he couldn’t say that he was feeling that necessarily, but he definitely had that moment of wanting to fight everyone who even thought to say a bad thing about Poe. Who dared to suggest anything besides the fact that he was completely, utterly perfect and wonderful. “Do you want me to give them a piece of my mind?”  
  
“It’s fine, Ben,” Poe said. “Really. You don’t have to defend my honor or anything. Though it is admittedly flattering.” He smiled as he spoke. "You, being the gentleman."  
  
“It’s just inconceivable,” Ben said. He was starting to at least think rationally again. Anything but that swell of heat in his mind. "That anyone would think you were anything but perfect.”  
  
Poe laughed. “You’re stretching a bit at ‘perfect’.”  
  
“You didn’t get here by kriffing anyone. You got here because you knew what you were doing was wrong — and I don’t blame you for not knowing earlier. You were tricked,” Ben said. “The fact they’re blaming a child for being manipulated by beings old enough to kriffing know it was wrong...it makes me want to hurt them.”  
  
“Well, don’t,” Poe said. “I don’t want you to get in trouble.” Then, “You really seem to have this...belief in me, don’t you? Even though I pushed you away.”  
  
“Always,” Ben said. “I’d do anything to make things easier for you.”  
  
Poe smiled. It was one of those things where he looked like a radiant sun. It wasn’t how Poe looked, Ben thought; it was, plain and simply, how he was. Kind. Willing to see the good in people, no matter what the cost. Intelligent. Witty. He was beautiful, breathtakingly so, but Ben knew that it was just a detail of a man who meant everything to him.   
  
“I just like you," Ben said. “As you are. I mean...it’s obvious that my boyfriend is the most stunning man in the galaxy. I doubt gods could compare.”  
  
Poe laughed. “You’re overdoing it, sweetheart.”  
  
"But,” Ben said, “Even if you were just ordinary-looking, I’d love you. You got this far in the Academy because you’re smart, and willing to learn. You’re brave. Strong. You’re kind and compassionate, and honorable — I wouldn’t have fallen in love with you if you weren’t kind.” A beat. "You saw the good in me, after all.”  
  
“It’s easier to see the good in someone else than yourself.”  
  
“Then,” Ben said, “Let me help you.”   
  
“You are. Though you complimenting my looks...I’ll get a planet-sized ego if you keep it up.” Poe said lightly.   
  
“I doubt you ever could.” Poe could be headstrong, but Ben didn’t think he’d ever seen Poe as arrogant. There wasn’t a streak of darkness, of true darkness, in him.   
  
Poe snorted. Then, “Thank you. Really. Sorry I kind of bothered you with that...”  
  
“No problem,” Ben said. “I chose you, in the end. I love you. Don’t forget that.”  
  
“And I chose you. You’re beautiful. Strong. Kind. Loving. I wouldn’t have loved you so much if you weren’t a good man.”  
  
Ben couldn’t say he always believed that. With Poe, though, he could believe it. He could believe that he was worthy, even with the monsters in his head. He could believe that, in Poe’s eyes, everything he considered unloveable could be loved, all the same.  
  
"Then I’ll work to live up to it.”  
  
“Ben,” Poe said, “You already have.”


End file.
